Stereotypical descriptions of computer science career interests are not representative of many computer scientists

Using responses from a large respondent-initiated online survey, we find that the career interests of many current and aspiring computer scientists in the United States diverge from a popular and official depiction of computer scientists’ interests used for career and workforce development worldwide. Distinct profiles of career interests emerged from the data. These profiles suggest that many women in the field value social and artistic expression in a way not currently recognized by established depictions of computer scientists’ interests. Better capturing the diversity of interests in computer science might help to boost women’s, and men’s, engagement in this STEM field.